Fibrous materials such as straw from flax, sisal, hemp, jute and coir, banana, among others, are used in the formation of biocomposite materials, where the fibrous material is combined with another compound, such as a polymer. The fibrous materials can be in the form of raw fibrous materials, or fibers selected from the components of the raw fibrous material, such as the cellulose fibers once separated from the hemicelluloses, lignin and impurities components of the raw fibrous materials. During the preparation and/or processing of the fibers/fibrous materials, these materials are often dried to remove the moisture in the fibrous materials to allow for better processing of the fibrous materials into the biocomposite compositions. Systems and methods that traditionally have and currently are used to dry fibers include: oven drying, microwave drying, microwave-convection drying, microwave-vacuum drying, thin layer drying, among others.
In particular, these traditional and current fiber drying processes, such as oven drying and thin layer drying, the fibers or fibrous materials are placed in enclosures that utilize high temperatures to evaporate moisture from the fibers, which are laid out in a thin layer within the enclosure. This wastes energy and space, disturbs and/or causes damage to the fibers molecular structure, and does not evenly dry the fibers. The prior art drying systems and methods thus negatively affect the fiber's properties, e.g. strength, thereby degrading the fibers usefulness and making them not suited for reinforcement applications in biocomposite materials. Also, the prior art drying systems and methods cause fiber discoloration, the formation of odors in the fibrous materials, and the decomposition of the fibrous materials, all of which are highly undesirable for fibers to be utilized in biocomposite material products.
As a result, a system and method for drying fibers and/or fibrous materials that will not negatively affect the molecular structure of the fibers or fibrous materials, yet provides even and efficient drying of the fibers, is needed.